


cold december night

by poodleyeol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Christmas!AU, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Smut, Smut in a Closet, does that count as public sex..., handjobs, office!AU, probably, the office!au (kinda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 11:12:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17079251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poodleyeol/pseuds/poodleyeol
Summary: Maybe Sehun really is a robot, because it’s taken him way too long to realise that his irritation at Chanyeol has actually been love this whole time.





	cold december night

**Author's Note:**

> so i LOVE christmas fics, and i've wanted to write a christmas chanhun fic for like... over a year, so when i found a large list of christmas fic prompts a while ago, i wanted to write a bunch of them... but this is the only one i actually got around to doing ^^;; the prompt was ~character a and character b, sworn enemies, are chosen to prepare the company christmas party~
> 
> i've also kinda wanted to write a the office!au where sehun is dwight and chanyeol is jim, and this prompt was so perfect for it ;U;
> 
> it was meant to be super wholesome but then they just ended up banging in the closet, i didn't ask them to... i swear

 

 

It’s around 5pm when Junmyeon emerges from his room with his briefcase in hand, the sign that everyone in the office takes as being done for the day. The quiet in the workplace turns into a light chatter as people start to gather their things.

Except Sehun, who’s nearing the end of his document, and not wanting to leave any work unfinished, decides to continue typing instead of reaching for his bag to go home.

Instead of his usual farewell, however, Junmyeon takes a spot in front of his crowd of workers, clearly with some sort of announcement, and one by one the heads turn to tune in.

“So,” he starts, and even though Junmyeon’s always been a kind boss, there’s still an apprehension in the air, no one wanting any bad news this close to the holidays. “Who’s willing to stay behind an hour or so tonight to decorate for tomorrow’s Christmas party?”

 _Ah, of course_ _,_ Sehun thinks to himself, expecting that at some point today Junmyeon would be asking for volunteers, and without a second thought he puts up his hand - he’ll be leaving late now, anyway, and it’s a job Sehun’s done for the last few annual Christmas parties.

Just like the previous years, Sehun suspects that no one else will be joining him. No one in the office will want to sacrifice their Friday night to stay at work, especially if it means hanging out with Sehun for an extra hour.

But he likes the office most when it’s empty, anyway. When there’s no talking, or loud noises, or mucking about around him, and he can finally concentrate and relax.

“Sehun? Decorating for _Christmas?"_

Across from his desk, Sehun looks up to see the amused grin of Chanyeol, his _least_ favourite of all his co-workers, and the main source of all of Sehun’s work annoyances.

Chanyeol is, in the most simple terms, Sehun’s polar opposite. He’s lazy, incompetent, and most of all _distracting,_  always chatting, laughing, singing, tapping his pen, tapping his foot when Sehun confiscates his pen -- as if being quiet for even a second would make him explode. Which it probably would.

And for some crazy reason, the rest of the office absolutely love him, always in an uproar over his stupid puns and antics, which even Junmyeon enjoys and _encourages_ when he should be reprimanding Chanyeol instead.

Sehun narrows his eyes, and his enemy’s smile only widens as he leans back in his chair.

“I didn’t think you’d have a jolly bone in your body,” Chanyeol remarks, and right on cue, the office chuckles in response.

From the beginning, Chanyeol’s always enjoyed singling Sehun out, making him the butt of most of his jokes and the target of his pranks, no matter how much Sehun snaps back at him.

He knows Chanyeol only does it because he gets a good rise out of him, that he should just ignore everything he does until he finally stops, but Sehun can’t ever seem to drown him out. His large, wide grin, his low and booming voice - Chanyeol as a person is just so overwhelming, he draws every ounce of Sehun’s attention, infuriating him to the point where his stomach and chest feel tight.

Chanyeol swivels in his chair to face Junmyeon, his little gag still not over. “You might want to get a second volunteer, boss. Or else Sehun might start making the tinsel out of the wasted paper from the shredder.”

There’s a louder wave of laughter as Sehun only frowns. Clearly, Chanyeol is forgetting that Sehun was the one responsible for last year’s beautiful Winter Wonderland, and the year before’s Candy Cane City - although Sehun can’t help but admit that using shredded paper would be great for the office’s recycling.

“Very funny, Chanyeol,” Junmyeon quips, giving Chanyeol a pat on his shoulder and grinning. “Since you seem so concerned about Sehun’s decorating, I guess you can stay back and help, too.”

He looks up to give Sehun a little wink - for once, someone is on Sehun’s side! - before turning to leave, a small wave to the rest of the office as he begins to walk out.

“Wait-- what?” Chanyeol exclaims, but with the sound of the office door closing, it’s clear there’s no other option for him. He sinks his head into his hands as everyone else gets out of their desk, none of them able to hold in their snorts and snickers as they walk past, a couple of “Sucks to be you,” comments thrown in as well.

It’s an incredibly satisfying outcome, Sehun thinks to himself as he indulges in Chanyeol’s dread, having to give up his evening for more work as the office laughs _at_ him for once, and he doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough of watching this scene--

Until Sehun finally realises what it means. That now he’s stuck with his least favourite co-worker, with _Chanyeol_ of all people, for the next few hours.

_Oh, great._

 

❄

 

After a few minutes of rustling in the messy storage closet, Sehun emerges with a box of decorations, which is dinged up and crudely labeled in black sharpie. He walks it to the middle of the room, a puff of dust clouding out when he drops it onto the floor in between himself and Chanyeol.

“Here’s what we’ve got to work with,” Sehun says as he crouches to open the box, avoiding eye contact as Chanyeol kneels down to get a look as well.

 _“These_ are our decorations?” Chanyeol exclaims as he starts to take some of them out. The baubles he holds in his hands are clearly old, scratched up to the point where half their paint is missing, and when Sehun pulls out a line of tinsel, he finds that it’s mostly just plain string.

“They’re so… old, and depressing.” Chanyeol continues fishing through the rest of the box. Upon discovering that the all the decorations are about as bad as each other, he gives up, sitting back onto his butt in defeat.

“I swear I remember them being so much nicer last year… what happened?”

Not in the mood to answer Chanyeol’s question, Sehun only gives him a shrug. “It’s all we’ve got.” He gets up of the floor, heading towards his desk for some tape. “So let’s make the most of it.”

Sehun begins to work his way around the perimeter of the office, sparingly adding the nice looking parts of the tinsel in only the most visible places.

For once, it seems like Chanyeol’s not feeling especially chatty, so at least Sehun is able to work in silence. But even the presence of Chanyeol in the room is enough to get his blood boiling, his stomach churning and his chest constricted. And being alone with Chanyeol somehow makes the feeling even worse.

It takes about five or ten minutes for the silence to break, though, when Chanyeol starts to quietly sing as he arranges some nutcrackers along the reception counter, the sound of his deep voice instantly increasing all of Sehun’s uncomfortable sensations tenfold.

“Do you mind?” Sehun quips, looking behind at Chanyeol from decorating the front office door, already desperate for him to stop. If there’s one thing that Sehun can’t stand, it’s Chanyeol’s singing, which is something he does quite a lot around the office. Half the time Sehun’s pretty sure Chanyeol’s not even aware of it.

But Sehun is - he’d even say he’s _hyper_ aware. Sure, he’s not _bad_ at singing, objectively his voice is actually quite melodious, but it’s incredibly obnoxious and distracting. There’s just something about it that gets under Sehun’s skin and makes his heart clench in a way he doesn’t like, it messes with his head and turns every coherent thought into mush.

Chanyeol turns his head to look at him briefly, a smirk on his face when their eyes meet, and Sehun already knows what that look means. Turning back to his work, Chanyeol increases his volume, enough now that Sehun can clearly hear that he’s singing _It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas._

“Chanyeol, stop--” Sehun is interrupted when Chanyeol only gets louder still, struggling over the English words and filling in the gaps with incoherent syllables when he doesn’t remember them. With each protest Sehun makes, Chanyeol sings harder, to the point where surely anyone still left in the building can hear them both - Chanyeol belting out the lyrics awkwardly and Sehun screaming over him for peace and quiet.

“Enough!” Sehun yells in a tone so frustrated that it even surprises himself, a sudden and heavy silence following when it seems like Chanyeol finally got the message.

“Okay, fine, fine,” Chanyeol says, a small pout on his lips. “I was just trying to entertain myself.”

“I’m not stupid.” Sehun turns back to tape up the last of the tinsel over the entrance. “You were _clearly_ trying to annoy me.”

“Actually,” Sehun hears Chanyeol’s retort behind him, and when he turns around he sees that he’s stopped working, now leaning against the reception desk, arms crossed. “I thought you’d enjoy it, too. I know you like that song.”

Startled, Sehun finds it difficult to arrange a reply. “How--”

“I heard it through your car speakers the other day when you were pulling into work.” Chanyeol smirks again, and Sehun feels his cheeks heating up. “I could even see that you were singing along with it--”

“Was not!” Sehun snaps, a mixture of anger and embarrassment flushing to his face.

Chanyeol bursts into a chuckle. “You’ll have to show up to one of our karaoke parties for once,” he says, hoisting himself up to sit on the reception desk, completely abandoning the decorating for now. “Maybe actually show everyone at work that you’re sometimes human.”

He starts to laugh again at his own joke, but once the giggles die off and Sehun looks up at him, Chanyeol’s features are soft, a small smile on his lips and his eyes expectant, and to Sehun’s utter confusion, he realises that Chanyeol’s actually being serious.

“Surely everyone would have a lot more fun if I wasn’t--” Sehun blurts out, humiliated that he doesn’t stop himself in time before opening his stupid mouth.

 _What am I saying?_ Sehun keeps his head down, eyes boring into the carpet as embarrassment washes over him. _I shouldn’t ever let my guard down around co-workers - especially Chanyeol._

“Well,” Chanyeol starts, his expression becoming sterner as his brows furrow, and Sehun’s stomach churns, thinking that this can’t end well. “If you spent the whole night rousing on us for having a good time and sucking up to Junmyeon, then yeah, we probably _would_ have more fun without you.”

 _Ouch._ The comment hits Sehun right in his chest, a small, sharp stab that makes his heart hurt.

Even though he knows well enough what everyone thinks of him - even though he overhears their whispers all over the office, the break room, by the printer, outside on the rooftop - it’s still so much harder having it said to his face. And Sehun can’t help but shake the feeling that hearing it from Chanyeol makes it that much worse still.

“But…” Chanyeol continues, and Sehun has to force himself not to cling to that word, to the hope that this scathing review might end on a positive note.

“If you were normal with us, if you _liked_ us and _cared_ about us, I think we’d all have a really good--”

“I do--” Sehun has to bite his tongue again, shocked that he still can’t keep himself under control.

He’s getting so worked up, his heart aching and racing, the back of his eyes stinging, and Sehun is terrified that maybe for the first time he won’t be able to hold it all in.

“You what?” Chanyeol asks, his tone a little less steely, and Sehun lets out a shaky sigh, thinking that there’s no way he can get out of the mess he’s made for himself without being honest.

“I do…” Sehun takes a gulp of saliva and imagines his walls going down with it, pushing against the lump in his throat as he swallows. “... care about you guys.”

He takes a hesitant glance up at Chanyeol, who’s got one eyebrow raised in doubt. “Oh, really? You certainly don’t show it.”

Of course Chanyeol doesn’t believe him. No one would, because Sehun is a master of hiding all his emotions and feelings - well, usually he is.

“Okay.” Chanyeol crosses his legs and leans back on his hands. “Tell me one thing you’ve done- or even thought, that shows you care about any of us here.”

As Sehun finally lets himself look into Chanyeol’s eyes, suddenly a rush of things come to mind. How everyday he knows what side dishes Chanyeol eats for lunch, or his coffee order, which changes every season. How he can now recite that stupid _"f_ _all for me”_ pun Chanyeol pulls every time someone brings in a banana, word for word with the same intonation. How he can always tell what song Chanyeol is tapping out with his ballpoint pen - even though it’s just the rhythm.

But Sehun pushes all of those confusing thoughts out of his mind as fast as they arrive, desperately trying to think of an example that sounds much less weird.

“During my first Christmas here…” Sehun starts to speak, feeling like he’s stuck under a spotlight. “I asked Junmyeon if we could put aside a bit of our budget to replace these shitty decorations.” Sehun gestures lightly to the sad scraps of tinsel on the walls. “He said no, obviously. So I asked my family if I could borrow theirs, that’s why they looked so much better each year. I even planned to buy some for the office myself this year, but-- I was so caught up with work, I forgot all about it.”

Chanyeol sits forward, relaxing his harsh expression. “That’s… a start. Actually, it’s quite sweet,” he says, and Sehun lets out the small breath he’d been holding. “You would seriously consider spending your own money just for some decorations we only use one day a year?”

“Sure,” Sehun replies. “I’d even do it right now if all the shops weren’t closed for the night.”

“I’m surprised you think they’re that important…”

“Of course they are,” Sehun says, before smirking a little. “The _Christmas spirit_ raises workplace morale. And morale raises productivity, so…”

“Hey!” Chanyeol exclaims. “And here I was thinking we were having a nice moment--” Sehun cuts him off by laughing, which Chanyeol joins in with, presumably when he finally realises that Sehun was kidding.

“Look at you, making _jokes_ now.” Chanyeol flashes a bright grin, one that Sehun doesn’t think he’s ever been on the receiving end of before. “I’m almost starting to like this new Sehun.”

Despite the fact that this conversation is suddenly going quite well, Sehun’s stomach only churns more, the stinging in his chest worse than ever, and he has no idea why he’s still feeling so uncomfortable.

“It’s not a _new Sehun,_  contrary to what everyone thinks, I’m not a robot.” Sehun’s stare locks on a corner of the room, struggling to keep up the eye contact. “I just… find it hard to be myself at work, that’s all.”

“But why?” Chanyeol asks, his voice warm and curious, and Sehun realises this might be the first time they’ve both had a normal, cordial conversation.

Leaning back on the front office doors, Sehun lightly shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know... I guess I’ve always been stressed around authority. Bosses, teachers, my _dad…”_

Sehun’s never talked about himself this much to a colleague before, but Sehun gets the feeling that Chanyeol is genuinely listening.

“I don’t want anyone in charge to dislike me, so I don’t give them the opportunity. I work hard, I don’t break any regulations, I don’t want to risk joking around-”

“But Junmyeon is like, the most relaxed boss ever. If I can get away with half of the stupid pranks I pull, then you don’t have anything to worry about,” says Chanyeol, and despite his anxieties, a part of Sehun knows he’s right. Last year, Junmyeon came into his office to find every item and piece of furniture completely covered in Christmas paper. It had taken him almost two hours to unwrap it all, but he was laughing along with Chanyeol and the rest of the office the entire time.

Even Sehun thought it was kind of amusing, but he remembers not being able to bring himself to join in the fun, knowing he’d feel just too uncomfortable if he stepped away from his computer and his work.

“I guess I still just find it hard to relax,” Sehun replies, reflecting on last year and wondering if it would ever even be possible for him to lighten up around the office. “I’d like to be more like… you, and everyone else here, have a bit of fun in between documents… but I don’t think I can.”

When Sehun glances back up at Chanyeol, he’s looking off to the side, his brows slightly furrowed in thought, a few moments passing before he speaks.

“Okay… Promise me something.”

“What?”

Chanyeol hops back off the reception desk, a small but determined smile on his face. “Promise me that by the end of the year, you’ll do _one_ reckless thing at work.”

“Oh-- No. No, no, no, that’s only about a week away, no--” Sehun starts to try and reason with Chanyeol, but he can already tell by his expression that it’s too late.

“It’ll do you good!” Chanyeol exclaims. “You’ll see that the consequences for having a bit of fun aren’t that bad.”

“But… what if--”

“C’mon, what’s the worst that could happen? If _I_ haven’t been fired, or even in trouble before, then nothing’s going to happen to you.”

Sehun feels his face pull into a frown, not because Chanyeol is wrong, but because deep down, a part of him agrees, imagining the freedom of letting go of his uptightness for just a second, and that kind of scares him.

“I guess… I guess you have a point.” The words come out on their own, Sehun hardly able to believe that he’s saying them. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

Chanyeol’s grin widens, with all his teeth in view, like a shark - no wonder his smile makes Sehun so nervous. “Great! I’m gonna hold you to it, Oh Sehun.”

And Sehun has no doubt in his mind that Chanyeol will.

 

❄

 

With their limited decorations, there’s not much left for Chanyeol and Sehun to do. They set up the fake Christmas tree with it’s broken and bent branches missing patches of plastic pine needles, throw on a few scratched up baubles, and call it a night, locking the front doors behind them as the pair head towards the elevator.

They’ve been chatting the entire time, although it’s mostly been Chanyeol doing the talking, Sehun listening as he fills him in on all the office gossip.

Even though this is the most social Sehun has been with one of his workers, their conversation is surprisingly natural and fun. Once Chanyeol isn’t teasing you, it turns out he’s actually comfortable to be around, his smile that once egged Sehun on now feels encouraging and warm.

 _Is this why everyone likes Chanyeol so much?_ Sehun can’t help but wonder to himself as they both step into the lift, although maybe he spoke a little soon, because as soon as they enter the small, confined space, Sehun’s stomach clenches again, his heartbeat becoming faster and uneasy.

He’s probably just uncomfortable about the lack of personal space - the two are close enough that Sehun can smell Chanyeol’s cologne, more soft and floral than he would have expected for someone like him. Maybe Sehun’s allergic, because the scent is making his gut churn even more, deciding to concentrate harder on Chanyeol’s words to distract himself.

“So about half of the guys are in love with Joohyun ever since she started,” Chanyeol says, referring to the office’s new receptionist. “They’ve all got plans to woo her, but they’re all too chicken to actually ask her out.”

Sehun laughs a little response, before blurting out, “What about you?”

Chanyeol turns to him, his eyebrows raised as he gives him a surprised look. “What?”

“Oh-- Uh…” Sehun’s face begins to burn, his sick sensations worse than ever, and he totally regrets ever opening his big mouth. “Are you-- uh, into her, too? Or do you already have a girlfriend?”

His mind screams at himself to stop, but the question is already out in the air, and Sehun doesn’t even want to know the answer, especially when Chanyeol’s expression is still so strange.

“Actually…” Chanyeol starts, finally pressing the ground floor button as the metal doors close. “I’m not into girls… I thought you knew.”

“Oh-- oh!” Sehun is as startled as he is embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t…”

He trails off, his mind caught on Chanyeol’s last few words. “Why did you think I would know…?”

Chanyeol doesn’t reply straight away, looking straight at Sehun instead, his frown more unreadable than ever, the prolonged eye contact making Sehun’s stomach swirl harder.

“Maybe because you’re gay, too, I thought you’d be able to guess.”

“Wha--” His words caught in his throat, Sehun freezes in shock. “How did you-- I--”

“Guess my gay-dar works a lot better than yours.” Despite the tense air, the corner of Chanyeol’s lips pull up slightly. “Sorry, you probably thought you kept it hidden well. I don’t think anyone else at work knows, if that makes you feel better.”

Sehun looks away, watching the elevator screen shuffle slowly through the floor numbers. “It’s not like I try to hide it… I just-- talking about romance with people at work feels a bit…”

“But you asked me if I was dating someone first,” Chanyeol replies, his voice suddenly light, and when Sehun brings himself to glance up at him again, Chanyeol’s smirk has gotten bigger, almost cocky.

“Uhhh--” is the only reply Sehun can muster, but when Chanyeol chuckles Sehun can’t help but let out a little sigh, relieved that the conversation somehow smoothed itself over, even if he does feel even more vulnerable around Chanyeol than ever.

After what feels like an eternity, the elevator jolts to a halt, the soft ding sounding as the doors slide open, and the pair make their way out -- slightly awkwardly, lightly bumping shoulders as they both try to exit at the same time. The freezing winter air hits Sehun’s hot face once they get outside, burning his cheeks and making him hiss.

He desperately wants to race into the safety of his Hyundai, but something tells him that he should walk slowly alongside Chanyeol instead, their paces matching as they approach Sehun’s car, and even though he unlocks it’s doors straight away, Sehun doesn’t hurry to get inside it, either.

They shiver together as Sehun fiddles with his car keys, feeling like he’s meant to say or do something, but having no idea what, and he wonders why Chanyeol’s not filling in the gap of silence, either.

He should probably be relieved that the night is over and can finally go home, let his churning stomach and tight chest return to normal in the comfort of his warm apartment, so why can’t he convince himself that’s what he wants?

“Well-- uh,” Sehun splutters when they’ve stood there for too long. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, tomorrow night,” Chanyeol confirms, an almost hesitant looking smile on his face. “See you then.”

Sehun still can’t calm down during the drive home, or when he prepares and eats his dinner, or when he gets ready for bed. In fact, as he tosses and turns in his blankets, painfully awake, Sehun is more agitated than ever, unable to control his thoughts as they replay each conversation he and Chanyeol had, scanning over every moment until the entire evening feels unreal, and after a restless maybe-one-hour night’s sleep, he’s almost convinced it was one of his feverish dreams.

He eventually rolls off of his mattress sometime in the late morning, forcing himself into his Saturday chores, which take much longer than usual when his mind is still so distracted.

He’s tired, grumpy, and incredibly confused, his chest and stomach still as sick as yesterday, but even though Sehun couldn’t be in less of a party or Christmas spirit, he can’t stop thinking of the night ahead.

 

❄

 

Sehun leaves his apartment and starts driving to the office at almost two hours before the party is scheduled to start, telling himself that it’s to catch up on some extra work and almost believing it. He pulls into the car park at 5:40, mostly empty aside from one other car, and Sehun is surprised that anyone else from the office would be here this early.

It’s already too dark to make out whose car it is, and Sehun can’t stop the little skip of his heart when he wonders if it could be Chanyeol’s--

But plenty of people drive to work, it could be anyone’s car. Sehun forces himself to stifle his thoughts as he gets out into the cold, his consistent sick feeling gradually building up again as he walks toward the building.

Going in to work by himself is usually Sehun’s favourite thing, but he spends the elevator ride uneasy, shifting from foot to foot. He’s anxious for the next few hours to race by and to start the Christmas party, but he can’t organise his thoughts enough to explain why.

He must be nervous about everyone seeing this year’s dreadful decorations and being disappointed. Yeah, that’s definitely it.

Getting off at the fifth floor, Sehun walks out and is greeted by another unexpected sight -- through the glass office doors, he can see that the lights are on.

 _Shit, did we forget to turn them out last night?_ Sehun wonders, before scrapping that thought. No, Sehun would never forget such a thing.

_So… Is someone here?_

It’s probably nothing, Sehun knows it has to be nothing, but he’s unable to convince his churning stomach and beating heart that anyone other than Chanyeol is behind those doors, or to understand why Chanyeol being there would make him feel this way in the first place.

Pulling down the handle and pushing through the glass, Sehun enters into probably the biggest surprise yet.

The office looks nothing like how he and Chanyeol left it last night. All the shitty decorations are nowhere to be seen, all instead replaced with a Christmas wonderland that might even trump Sehun’s last two years of work - with brand new nutcrackers greeting him at the reception desk, the walls lined with green and red ribbon, and even fake white snow on the ground.

It’s beautiful, the entire atmosphere reminding Sehun why this season is so loved by the world, why it’s everyone’s favourite time of year. He takes it all in, not just the decorations, but the soft carols that are playing on the office speakers, and the subtle smell of pine.

And then Sehun sees the source of it all, the tall man standing tentatively on a desk, reaching across as he adjusts the branches on the top of the _very real_ Christmas tree, and Sehun can feel this image seep into that eternal part of his memory, a scene he knows he’ll never forget, no matter how many years pass.

Chanyeol’s hair is pushed back today, a hairstyle that Sehun knows is usually saved for special occasions, and his expression looks focused - maybe for the first time ever, Sehun can’t help but joke to himself - deep in thought as he fingers through the pines. He looks more mature than usual, even in spite of his soft, childlike features, and Sehun can’t seem to get the word _handsome_ out of his head.

It takes a few moments for Chanyeol to notice Sehun standing underneath him beside the tree, startling with his whole body when he finally does and regaining his footing just in time to not fall off his post.

“Hey,” Chanyeol greets him when he’s settled, turning to face Sehun properly. “You’re here early."

Chanyeol gives him a warm smile, and Sehun’s chest takes another hit of nerves.

“I-- uh…” He really wasn’t expecting to have to talk to anyone for a few hours-- let alone Chanyeol, and it feels like being thrown in the deep end all over again. “I came in early to get some work done… But what are you doing here?

Even though he asks, it’s pretty clear what Chanyeol is doing. What Sehun doesn’t get, though, is why.

Chanyeol hops down from the desk, making everything in the office rattle slightly. “Even though we did our best, the decorations looked so sad last night… so I thought I’d buy some new ones, just for the office to use.”

It’s now that Sehun notices the many plastic department store bags strewn across the room, and he can’t help but wonder how much Chanyeol must have spent on all this.

As he continues to explain himself, Chanyeol’s face becomes more bashful. “I even thought about calling you, to help decorate with me again… but I figured that since you work so hard, you deserve to have a non-working weekend more than anyone… But you came in to work, anyway.”

Sehun is unsure of what to say in response, except that he knows he’s weirdly glad that he showed up early.

“Well-- uh…” Sehun fumbles, putting his briefcase down on his desk. “I’m here now… So… I could help?”

Chanyeol’s grin grows wider. “Yeah, it seems like fate really wanted us to decorate together again.” He heads towards some packaged baubles on his desk, and Sehun tries not to hang onto those last words any more than necessary.

The only part of the office still really needing decorations is the new tree, which is about twice the size of the old one. Sehun passes Chanyeol ornaments as he places them near the top, standing on the desk again and making Sehun even more anxious than he already is, expecting that the clumsy idiot will surely fall at some point. Luckily, they get by without incident, chatting the whole time as they decorate.

As they start to add ornaments to the base of the tree, Chanyeol gets off the desk and the two kneel next to each other on the carpet, once again too physically close for Sehun’s comfort. But other than his nervousness, Sehun is actually really enjoying himself.

He doesn’t do much outside of work, but Chanyeol is the opposite, telling Sehun all about his hobbies and interests - bowling, skiing, making music - as if they’re the funnest activities in the world, even making Sehun curious enough to want to try them. Talking to Chanyeol almost starts to convince him that the world is so much more than work, that with just a little bravery Sehun could do so much more.

He really couldn’t be more fascinated by what Chanyeol is saying, but Sehun worries that it’s not coming across that way at all, because the lack of sleep is beginning to catch up with him, the drowsiness so strong he can’t hold in his yawns.

And to Sehun’s embarrassment, after about the fourth time, even Chanyeol notices.

“I guess golf isn’t the most riveting topic,” Chanyeol comments, his brows raised, and Sehun feels his face flush.

“Oh-- sorry, it’s not that--” Sehun stutters, desperate to defend himself. “I just didn’t sleep very well last night.”

“Really?” Chanyeol asks, his voice sounding more surprised than Sehun would expect. “You too?”

“I guess the terrible decorations were haunting both our dreams last night,” Sehun jokes, picking up another ornament, but he feels Chanyeol still next to him.

Sehun looks up at him, a little puzzled. It’s a coincidence if Chanyeol also slept badly, sure, but something about his expression is weirdly intense as he stares back.

“Sehun… I-- I don’t think…” Chanyeol starts to talk, but trails off, as if he doesn’t want to finish what he started to say.

Now Sehun’s _really_ not following this conversation. His gut twists again, the confusion making him nervous. Things were going so well, did he say or do something wrong?

“You don’t think what?” Sehun asks, wanting to get some kind of explanation before Chanyeol drops the whole thing, who looks away for a moment, pensive.

“I don’t think it means nothing-- the fact that we both didn’t sleep well after last night.”

This is why Sehun avoids socialising, he feels like Chanyeol is hinting at something, but has no idea what.

“Do you… think we both got sick or something…? Because I feel fine.”

Unless Chanyeol is talking about that weird feeling, the churning in his gut and the tightness in his chest. Does Chanyeol feel that, too?

But Sehun has been getting that for years, now, and only very periodically when Chanyeol’s nearby, he’s pretty sure it’s not an illness -- in fact, until recently he assumed it was just part of his annoyance.

Chanyeol looks down again and makes a sort of uncomfortable looking smile - not like his normal ones that make his whole face light up - one that doesn’t reach his eyes, and almost looks kind of painful.

“Don’t you… feel this? This thing between us?”

Sehun’s heart suddenly picks up, beating harder and faster as it burns in his chest, as if it’s latched onto what Chanyeol’s saying, even though his mind is as confused as ever.

“How else do you think I knew you weren’t straight?” Chanyeol continues, his voice yearning. “Or how I assumed you knew I wasn’t, either?”

But all Sehun knows is that the gut feeling is getting worse, worse than it’s ever been, his heartbeat now almost all he can hear, pumping through his ears, hot blood rushing to his face.

Chanyeol leans in a little closer, and Sehun’s chest tightens more than he can bear.

“There’s something between us-- that’s why I can never leave you alone, why I can’t stop bugging you at work, and why you can’t ever block it out-- even though you can ignore everyone else in the office, I’m always getting under your skin. It’s like a spark between us, or a fire, or--”

“Or…” Sehun starts to talk on his own, hearing the words come out of his mouth before he even thinks them. “Like a twist in the stomach-- a tightness in the chest?”

To Sehun’s surprise, Chanyeol’s serious expression suddenly breaks - first looking startled, but then, slowly, he grins -- the _classic_ Chanyeol grin, the one that reaches past his eyes.

“So you _do_ feel it.”

Sehun freezes, his mind trying to make sense of everything that’s happening. _Chanyeol’s been feeling like this, too?_

But Sehun only feels more confused than ever. Why would Chanyeol be smiling about it? Why would anyone be happy about this gut wrenching sensation, constantly being distracted by one person’s entire existence, feeling sick to their stomach every time they’re around--

_Oh._

And then it all finally hits Sehun. What Sehun has _actually_ been feeling, watching Chanyeol joke around at the office, listening to his soft humming and sighing at his lame jokes, his whole attention being stolen by this man for almost three years. How every hard working day has been a futile attempt at distracting himself from the gnawing feeling Chanyeol gives him.

Maybe Sehun really _is_ a robot, because it’s taken him way too long to realise that his irritation at Chanyeol has actually been love this whole time.

“I-I…” Sehun stutters, but he has no idea how to finish that sentence, how he’ll ever finish that sentence. His whole world is being turned upside-down, teetering on the edge of whatever’s about to happen, and under the expectant stare of the most important person in the world, everything rests on the next few moments.

But the sudden sound of rattling shatters it all, a harsh pull back into reality as Sehun hears the door opening, followed by a small groan from Junmyeon as he walks in, carrying a heavy cardboard box in both hands.

He glances around the office before peeping over the box’s lid, eyes tight as he attempts to smile at them both. “Boys! Great job with the decorating!” Junmyeon sways slightly before carefully placing the box on top of a desk with a big sigh. “Now-- could I get a hand with the booze? There’s another two boxes by the elevator--”

“I’m on it,” Sehun blurts out automatically, shooting up from his spot and racing out of the room, every fibre of his body desperate to escape-- but there’s no getting away from the spinning in his head and the pounding of his heart.

 

❄

 

About forty minutes and three glasses of champagne into the Christmas party, Sehun settles in to lean on the edge of his desk. Carols continue to play underneath the sound of everyone chatting -- the chatting that Sehun was actually partaking in moments ago, something that he is quite proud of. Sehun was scared shitless when he first approached them, but even though the others were a bit taken aback, in almost an instant the rest of the office warmed up to him, joking around with him and inviting him to their next karaoke night on Wednesday.

But Sehun would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that it was almost all to avoid Chanyeol, still completely unprepared to face their unfinished conversation, to face how stupid he’s been for the last few years.

No matter how stupid he is, though, Sehun is smart enough to know he can’t run forever, and the suspense is eating him alive. Most of the office is huddled around Baekhyun’s computer as he shows them all silly dog videos, and Sehun can see that Chanyeol intends to use time to good use, meeting his gaze for a brief moment with a look that sends Sehun into a frenzy of nerves.

It’s about then, as Chanyeol begins to saunter over, when something else unlocks in Sehun, the awareness of his feelings for Chanyeol now bringing a million more suppressed thoughts and… desires to the surface. The way his business shirt clings to his broad shoulders, the necktie that’s always a little askew. Those dark eyes. Soft, wet lips.

Without thinking, Sehun tips his glass to chug down the last of his drink, instantly regretting it when the room spins more than normal, the buzz going straight to his head, and yet doing nothing to ease the slight tightness in his pants that Sehun desperately tries to ignore.

Chanyeol takes a spot next to him, close enough that Sehun can feel his warmth, but says nothing as he barely faces him, and for once Chanyeol looks almost as nervous as Sehun feels.

There’s a long pause of silence that no one knows hows to fill before Sehun opens his mouth.

“Well, well,” he says, the words spilling out of his mouth, the small amount of alcohol in his system stopping any filter that could save him. “Looks like, for once, the office clown doesn’t have any words.”

 _Oh no._  The small, still sane part of Sehun panics as he realises that _Tipsy, Snippy Sehun_ has taken control. A few drinks usually turns Sehun into a bit of an ass, his comments filled with sass and bite as his internal monologue finds it’s way out - at least, that’s what his mum says.

And he can definitely tell it surprises Chanyeol, who takes a few extra seconds to find a reply, opening and closing his mouth before speaking.

“You seem to be full of them tonight, though.” Chanyeol gestures to the others, who are all cackling in unison over the screen, and he smirks, sending a small pulse through Sehun’s body. “Good job, you’re really coming out of your shell.”

“Mm-hmm, that’s right.” Sehun leans across just a little, bumping lightly against Chanyeol’s arm, and though he tries to be embarrassed at how he’s acting, he struggles to find the last of his shame. “I think you could say that I’ve definitely _done something reckless at work.”_

“What?” Chanyeol says, raising an eyebrow, and there’s not much to hold Sehun back from swooning. “No no no, that might have been a challenge for you, Oh Sehun, but that’s definitely not reckless enough to count.”

“Really? And what would be _reckless_ enough for you?”

He gets it now, Sehun thinks, the alcohol fogging his fears but finally giving him some sort of clarity. The way he and Chanyeol talk, the pokes and pulls of what’s always been subtle flirting, always wrapping up before Sehun could even realise.

And now that he knows, Sehun can’t help but see how much further he can push it.

“It’s got to be something that, like… could actually get you in _trouble."_  Chanyeol lowers his voice, his face coming in so close now that they’re sharing the same breath, and this is probably the most intimate moment Sehun’s ever experienced in his life.

He wants to be alone. With Chanyeol. He needs it to be just them so he can finally let go, ride into his emotions and get what he’s wanted this whole time--

And that’s when it hits him.

Sehun grabs Chanyeol’s wrist, getting up off the desk and tugging him to do the same. He drags him away, away from the party, Chanyeol’s asking him what’s going on, but Sehun doesn’t need to answer as they head for the storage closet.

He takes one last glance at everyone - who luckily are still completely wrapped up in their videos - before slipping himself and Chanyeol into the darkness, the laughter and _Santa Baby_ muffled as Sehun shuts and then locks the door, everything else quiet except for the slightly heavy sound of his breathing-- or Chanyeol’s breathing, Sehun can’t even tell anymore.

There’s almost no room in here, only a few feet of space keeping the pair close, Sehun even feeling Chanyeol’s fringe tickle his forehead.

Sehun’s heart pounds in anticipation, the buzz of alcohol suddenly gone, and he somehow finds just enough courage that pushes him forward to kiss Chanyeol.

The first one is sweet, and so soft, a softness that Sehun’s never even let himself dream of. And thank god Chanyeol kisses him back, pulling back for only a moment as he grips onto Sehun’s waist before coming in for more.

With each one, the kisses slowly get hungrier, three years of tension breaking through the glass as Chanyeol’s teeth graze Sehun’s swollen bottom lip, their bodies pressing together. The heat in Sehun’s pants pulses, and when Chanyeol slots a thigh between his legs, there’s nothing to stop him from rubbing himself against it, just once to see how it feels. And it feels _great._

He knows this is crazy, that just this morning Sehun didn’t understand any of these feelings, and now they’re getting hot and heavy in their _workplace closet_ , but he can’t help but feel that he’s finally in the right place at the right time.

Softly moaning into Chanyeol’s mouth, Sehun keeps grinding, harder and harder, but the pressure is muted by layers of fabric - nowhere near enough, and the hands that were bunched up in Chanyeol’s shirt come down to his belt, desperately tugging at the buckle.

Chanyeol catches on fast, leaning back slightly to help as they both fumble Sehun’s pants down, just enough that he can spring free. The air is slightly cool on his shaft, but Chanyeol doesn’t waste a second as he seizes the base, a moan escaping from Sehun as he tugs to the top and back again, setting a slow and steady tempo.

Sehun hides his face into the crook of Chanyeol’s neck, the smell of his cologne mixed with sweat making him dizzy. It feels amazing, but Sehun is greedy, needing so much more to make up for the years of nothing. He moves to Chanyeol’s own belt, fingers shaking as he tries to undo it while his body reels in pleasure. Chanyeol lets go for a moment to finish the job, the sudden lack of pressure torture as Chanyeol pulls himself out of his pants, but Sehun reaches straight for what he wants.

He would love to take a look at what he’s grabbing, but even in the dark Sehun can tell that Chanyeol is _thick,_ getting a good feel as he gives it a few pumps, dragging noises out of Chanyeol that make his cock throb even harder.

After a few moments, Chanyeol begins to go for his dick again, but Sehun stops him, instead choosing to rub his shaft against Chanyeol’s, creating an intense moment of friction before he widens his grip to jerk them both off together.

Chanyeol makes another groan, deep and guttural, leaning forward as their damp foreheads press together. As Sehun twists his hands around the tips, Chanyeol clutches lower, and soon they’re working as a team, Chanyeol making short pulls at the base as Sehun teases each of their heads with his thumb, each of them rutting against each other into their palms. The noises are wet with pre-come, their panting dry and heavy, and the rest of the world is long gone as Sehun chases his high, everything becoming more erratic as he gets closer and closer.

It builds in Sehun slowly, slowly as he approaches the edge, and then suddenly all at once he goes over, letting out a cry, his orgasm hitting him like a ton of bricks. It racks through his whole body in strong waves, lasting longer than usual as Chanyeol’s strong fingers continue to tug desperately, and after a moment Sehun hears him groan as he reaches his finish, too.

With a few more lighter jerks, they both shudder through to the end. As Sehun calms down, he feels his legs wobble, almost too weak to keep himself up, and judging by how much weight Chanyeol’s leaning onto him, Sehun’s pretty sure he feels the same.

The uncomfortableness of the situation starts to seep in, the closet air extra stuffy against his sticky body, but with their faces still so close, Sehun doesn’t want to move anywhere.

In the darkness, Sehun can just make out Chanyeol’s expression, the playful smirk back on his face.

“Alright,” Chanyeol says, his voice breathy. “You win. That was _definitely_ reckless enough.”

Sehun returns Chanyeol’s grin with his own, and he’s pretty sure that the confidence isn’t coming from the alcohol anymore.

“Are you satisfied?” he says.

_“Very.”_

And Chanyeol leans in to kiss Sehun again, soft and sweet like the first one, and man, the handjobs were amazing, but it still doesn’t compare to how Sehun’s heart feels now.

 

❄

 

They clean up with some tissues found on the top shelf before sneaking back out into the party, as Sehun tries his best not to freak out over what will happen, or the dread of facing his potentially angry and disgusted coworkers - or worst of all, his boss - which is almost strong enough to keep him in the storage closet for the rest of the night.

But everyone still seems pretty distracted, chatting amongst themselves and not giving either of them a second glance when the two join in the tail end of _Dogs Running into Walls #14_ \- although Sehun thinks he might have seen Baekhyun wink at him.

Most of the rest of the party is spent mingling with everyone else, and Sehun finds himself so involved that he even loses track of time. After thinking so little of his coworkers for so many years, Sehun’s surprised to see that he gets along with them all pretty well, fitting into their dynamics and even being the subject of a few inside jokes by the end of the night. And it’s even easier with Chanyeol there, usually hanging by Sehun’s side, looking back at him with encouragement as he finally makes friends with them all.

When it’s suddenly time for the party to end, Sehun’s almost a little disappointed. One by one, everyone starts to file out, giving Sehun and Chanyeol a wave as they head out the door to go home.

They’re both leaning against Sehun’s desk, thighs resting against each other as they finish of the last of their drinks. After a final gulp of his beer, Chanyeol pushes himself up, pausing when he doesn’t see Sehun do the same.

“You coming?” he asks, and as much as it makes Sehun’s heart sink, he has to shake his head no.

“Someone’s gotta stay back to clean up, and since I’ve done it the last two years in a row, I’d better--”

“Oh no you don’t.” Sehun is interrupted when Junmyeon walks up to them, putting a hand on Sehun’s shoulder. “You two must have worked so hard to get the place looking like this, you both deserve a break.”

Sehun wants to insist, except before he can respond, his boss is already pushing him and Chanyeol both toward the exit.

“Besides, you two love birds could use some time alone, maybe this time _not_ in the office closet.”

“Wha--?!” Sehun exclaims, his face flushing with embarrassment, but when he turns back to look at him, Junmyeon is laughing, and he should have known that they wouldn’t get in trouble for anything, with Chanyeol being Junmyeon’s favourite employee.

The glass doors are shut behind them without another word, leaving the two alone once again, and despite everything, Sehun’s heart skips a beat.

Neither of them make a move to the elevator, instead both choosing to stand as they let the air become heavier and more awkward over the sound of _Cold December Night,_ not even able to meet each other’s eyes.

“So…” Chanyeol says, breaking the silence and shuffling on his feet. “I feel like we’ve got a fair bit to talk about.”

Sehun gulps, his nerves picking up tenfold, but ultimately knowing that Chanyeol is right. “Should we-- uh… meet tomorrow sometime?”

“Actually, I was thinking right now.” Chanyeol turns to the elevator, watching Sehun to see if he follows. “If you’re not busy.”

It’s already 10pm, and usually Sehun would want nothing more than to go straight home and get into bed, but as he trails alongside Chanyeol to the elevator, he’s wide awake. The adrenaline buzzing through him in place of the champagne is enough to keep him out with Chanyeol all night, Sehun hoping that Chanyeol feels the same anticipation about what’s to come.

And just as the metal doors close in front of them, shutting off the Christmas music and the rest of the world, Chanyeol leans over to steal one more kiss.

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so so so so so so much for reading my fic!!!
> 
> if you enjoyed it, i would really appreciate any comments at all!!! it would make my day ;U;
> 
> come follow me on twitter @poodleyeol and we can be best friends ;U;
> 
> and most importantly, happy holidays~~~!!!


End file.
